From The Inside Out
by maden-dragonheart
Summary: Robin looks at his life and the things he has done during The Apprentice He thinks about what he has to do, why slade wants him..and about Batman. r&r FINSISHED!
1. The Sidekick, Leader, and Slave

If you ask questions you'll get answers and perhaps learn something. Ask questions whenever you can and you'll never be lost or confused in life. That is unless the answers just lead to more questions. And sometimes those questions lead to answers that no one wants to know about, answers that wake us up in the middle if the night in a cold sweat, the ones that are always floating in the top of your head, the kind of answers that always seem to…haunt you.

"Dude give it a break!" Beast Boy said as he peeked his green head into his team's leader's room. "You need some sleep, C'mon!"

"I can't." Robin answered, not looking up at his friend. Robin kept his head down on his work, just staring at the faded picture in his hands, as if it would suddenly spring to life and he would miss an important clue. "But you should be asleep. Go to bed Beast Boy. I'll see you in the morning."

"But dude-"

"GOOD NIGHT BEAST BOY!"

Always ask the questions who, what, when, how and why, if you ever want to know anything. Robin knew the answers, but they still left him confused.

Who: Slade. An evil man who is just seeks power.

When: When ever he can.

How: By breaking you down and making you feel helpless and weak. By finding the softest spot on you and hitting it with full on force.

Why…because he wanted Robin. He wanted an apprentice, someone to do his dirty work for him. Someone he could push around and be superior to… a son.

Robin was looking at the four giant T.V. screens that surrounded Slade and himself. Each screen showed the same image, a blood stream, but the blood cells had tiny devises on them. And above the screens it showed the names of the people that Robin held so close to him.

Starfire, Raven. Beast Boy, and Cyborg.

"What the-"

"Nano Scopice probes." Slade answered casually, after seeing the confused feature on the young boys face. "The crouton detonator was merely the bait for a much larger trap. You see with a push of a button, my probes will destroy your friends…"

Slade hesitated for a moment, building the suspense on his last few words…

**_"From the inside out." _**

****

Robin stared at the mask man. No way…that- that couldn't be true…

"Sending trouble your way, leaving cryptic clues for you to unravel. I was testing you. For some time now I have been searching for… an apprentice. Someone to follow in my footsteps. And Robin - I've chosen you. Congratulations."

Robin stared at Slade in disbelieve. Did he just say what he thought he just said? He wanted an _apprentice_! A Sidekick! All this time Robin thought he just wanted power and money like all the others, not a… _ward. _

And he wanted Robin. No way! Robin was the good guy, not the bad guy.

"No Way would I ever work for-" Robin snarled

If you join me," Slade interrupted, "if you swear to serve me, if you never speak to your friends again… I will allow them to live…but, if you disobey even the smallest request, I will annihilate them, Robin. And I'll make you watch. So, do we have a deal?"

Marked as the "Boy Wonder" at a young age, Robin was always thought to be the lucky one, the one that everything right happened to. He could fight, he could ride a motorcycle, he was the leader of the Teen Titans, and he was trained by Batman! Not to mention he was well known and handsome…

Because of these facts, Robin didn't always get the help he needed. People assumed that he could take care of himself. Even his own teammates simply would guess that he was all right when they were in a fight. Because he was strong, clever, fast, and well trained.

He might have been all that on the out side, but on the inside he was just a regular kid. A kid who just wanted to be his own person…not a shadow of his father.

When people thought of the 'Boy Wonder' the next thing that popped into their heads was 'Sidekick'. Robin, as much as he loved and respected Batman, didn't was to be just the sidekick his whole life. He wanted to be his own person, his own hero, not just the kid who runs to his father and hides under his cape whenever things got tuff.

Robin did always try to stick up for himself, even when he lived with Batman. Every now and then he would beat the 'bat guy' and save the day and move from being the sidekick to the hero for a day, but most of the time he would bit off more then he could chew and wind up in trouble. It was time like these when Batman would come and save him, then lecture him on what he had just done and tell him that he needed to learn from his mistakes…

But, Robin was no longer with his protective adoptive father. He was alone. Alone with a lunatic who wanted a son and would do anything to get one, even if he had to kill.

Robin always got the joy of fighting a challenge; he got the thrill of taking on something new,

BAM

Robin's head was smashed to the ground. Unable to hold himself up do to shaking arms and legs Robin just lied there on the ground helpless.

"You're going to keep stealing Robin." Slade told him as he walked closer to the shaking boy. "And you're going to keep getting a _thrill_."

Robin's teeth grinded together when he heard Slade's words.

"And sooner or later you will see things my way." Slade continued, "Who knows…I might even become like a father to you."

Robin shook his head and swallowed down the blood from his mouth. Never. Slade would NEVER be his father. Nor would he ever be glade about what he's doing, never would he 'see things his way' he might get a thrill out of doing something new, but he wouldn't enjoy.

Lifting a shacking head to stare Slade in the face, Robin thought of the one thing that was sure to get Slade angry, yet it was the full truth.

"…I already have a father."

In a lot of ways Slade treated Robin the same ways that Batman did. If he wasn't yelling at Robin, then he was telling him to work harder. The only difference was that Batman truly cared for Robin, Slade just wanted him to stay alive to stay as his apprentice, Batman wouldn't mind to much if Robin decided to stop being his sidekick, in fact he supported it.

_'Their all great at fighting!" Robin told his mentor one night. "They all have some kind of super-power and their all my age!" _

_ "Sounds like you like this new group of friends you made?" The Dark Night answered in his low tone. A different thing that Slade and Batman had in common was they both failed to ever show any enthusiasm. _

_ "Yeah…" Robin answered. His voice trailed off and he gazed over his shoulder to look at large Batcave.' "I-I do really like them." _

_"What is it?" Batman asked. He finally turned from his computed to look at his ward, the question didn't sound like it was in a concerned voice but a 'what is it now!' voice, but then again that was Batman for you. _

_"They- well they were thinking of starting a team…" Robin said awkwardly, turning his head to the ground. _

_"And? From what you've said about them they should make a good team. Why are you worried about them?" _

_"Well they- I'm not worried- I just.." Robin found it difficult to tell Batman what was on his mind. He wasn't worried that Batman would laugh at him but worried that he would take it the wrong way. "They-ahh…" _

_ Batman waited for his ward to tell him was going on patiently. Even though he didn't look it, he was getting a little afraid of what Robin might say. Every now and then Robin would tell him something that was bothering him and expect Batman to give him advise, fatherly advise, and Batman didn't really know how to do that, his father did die when he was eight so he didn't know what fathers said to their sons. _

_"They… want me to- umm…be their leader." There he had said it! He turned his head away and waited for the result of what he just said. _

_ "Okay." _

_ Robin's eyes filled up with shock. "What?" _

_ "Do you want to be their leader?' _

_ "I- umm…maybe… but I mean… I kind of already have a team…" Robin said. Of course he was referring to the "Bat team" Him, Batman, and sometime Bat girl. "And besides…I'm just a kid, they should get a grown man or someone to be leader." _

_"That would ruin the 'teen image' though." Batman replied. He rested a hand on his adopted son's shoulder, and feeling a little weird doing so. "You would make a great leader. But protect your team, do what ever you can to help… and then you will be a man.** From the inside out." **_

****

****

**_ "_**_Thanks Bruce…"_


	2. Call me Master

Sometimes when a time seems to be getting really bad, think about why your doing it, or why it's bad, maybe you'll see that it's your own fault, and make your self feel worse, or maybe you'll see that your just not going at it the right way and change what your doing and make yourself feel better…or maybe nothing will help and you'll stay confused.

No matter how much Robin looked at his situation he couldn't make himself feel better about it. He would remind himself that he was only doing it to help his friends and that he was saving their lives, but then he would remember that it was his fault for walking it a trap. So no matter how much Robin looked at his situation it stayed the same, dark, scary, lonely, and hopeless…

But as the days went on Slade seemed to think that he had more and more power over Robin, the things he had Robin steal for him got bigger and bigger and of more greater value. Most things were things that related to weapons or something; like guns, smoke bombs and other things.

Even though Slade held the Ace, Robin kept fighting. He knew if he just gave up he would become like Slade, just like he become so much like Batman already. And no matter what happened, Robin did not what to, in any way, be anymore like Slade then he already was. Robin would try to resist Slade as much as he could without putting his friends in harms way… but he wasn't always successful.

Not for the first time, Robin was thrown across the room into the wall. He sank to the ground with his arms around his abdomen. It felt that the more Slade had power over Robin, the stronger he got.

"I made you my apprentice." He hissed. He watched as Robin bit his lip to keep from yelling in pain. "All my knowledge, all my power, all for you."

Slade had reached where Robin was lying. Grabbing the boy by his ebony hair Slade lifted his head, then slammed it to the ground again, and held it in place.

"Arg-ah-." Robin head was aching now, and Slade's heavy hand wasn't helping.

"But the only thing you care about is your worthless, little friends!" He was now yelling at Robin, he had never really changed his voice. He pushed Robin's head closer to the ground, then stood up and started to walk away.

"If the Titans are so distracting, then maybe I should get rid of them…"

Slade looked at the screens that still showed the Titans infected blood stream. Then he gazed at the one button that could destroy their very lives.

"Don't." Robin said. He swallowed down blood. "I'll do what ever you say."

"Good boy." Slade told him, as if Robin was a worthless creature. "And from now one I'd like you to call me Master."

He wants to be called 'Master'. How can anyone expect someone to think of them like a parent if you are forced to call them 'Master'? But Robin agreed any way, seeing if he didn't he wouldn't it would be the death of all his friends.

Batman was wrong; Robin wasn't a man for doing this. He had kept his promise, to keep his friends safe and out of harms way, but it didn't make Robin a man, it made him a criminal, it made him scum.

If this was how it was going to turn out, the whole "Teen Titans' things, if Robin only knew, he would have never of agreed to it He would have stayed in Gotham with Batman. But No one knew the troubles they would have in front of them.

_"Whoa…" said Cyborg as his steeped into Titan Tower's main room for the first time. "Look at this place!"_

_Robin smiled, happy to see his new friends reaction. "You like?" _

_Before Cyborg could answer he was interrupted by a small green teen. _

_"Like it! Are you crazy? This place it great!" Beast Boy yelled. He then ran all around the room looking at every little thing. The stove and eating tables in the small kitchen, the large half circle sofa, and then he looked out the giant window. _

_"Dude we can see the whole city from up here!" _

_"Glade to know you like it." Robin laughed. It looked like Beast Boy was going to be a hyper one, but all in all he seemed like he would be fun to have around. _

_There was a loud 'Swish' of the doors, the boys turned to see who it was. _

_It was that one gothic girl that they had asked to join. She might be beyond creepy and weird, but she had strong power, and Robin said they could use all the help they could get. Even though Beast Boy and Cyborg felt that she would be annoying to live with, Robin looked at her in a sort of, young, female version of Batman, so he saw no problems with the living arrangements. _

_She turned her head and looked at the huge room, and then looked at the three boys, not once did she smile. _

_"Ah… Hi, Raven." Said Beast Boy trying to get her to say something, they all felt rather weird just standing there. _

_She glared at him. "…Hi." _

_She turned her head to Robin. "Where do I put my stuff?" _

_"Umm, I think your room is this way." Said Robin. He started to walk up the stairs to her. "Need a hand with your stuff?" _

_"No.' She answered. _

_"You sure?" Robin asked feeling slightly put out. His eyes fell slightly. "I can really help. It will go a lot faster." _

_"No." said answered. And then turned and walked away. _

_"Dude! Why did we agree to let her be with us again?" said Best Boy. "She's weird." _

_'Maybe she just needs some space." Said Robin shrugging then he turned and walked back down to Cyborg and Best Boy. "Just give it some time." _

_"I hope your right man." Said Cyborg looking down at his shorted friend. "She's kinda creepy." _

_"Ah.' Said Robin shrugging." She reminds me of Batman." _

_Beast Boy and Cyborg just stared at Robin wide-eyed. Robin feeling he shouldn't have said anything swayed slightly. _

_"The Batman?' asked Cyborg. "He acts like that?" _

_Robin laughed. "There's only one Batman, Cy." _

_Best Boy opened his mouth and then dropped closed it quickly. "Dudes." He whispered. "Hot alien chick behind you." _

_Robin turned, he was right. There behind them was the Tamaran alien that they had met and asked to join the team. She was floating in from the door and was looking around at the main room with great interest. _

_"Hi Starfire." Said Robin. _

_She looked down, and then flew down to be at his height. _

_"Hello friend Robin!" She said happily. _

_"Um… how's it going?" asked Robin trying to break the ice. _

_"I do not understand, how is 'what' going?" she asked looking confused. _

_Robin stared at her. Then decided to change the subject. "Do you need any help with you stuff?" _

_"That would be glorious!"_

**Starfire**. Robin found himself saying that name a lot, in battle, in the tower, in his dreams. It wasn't long until Robin had come to love the alien. She was perfect. _Extremely_ beautiful, funny, made you feel wanted, caring, and a good fighter. What more could he ask for? Sure maybe it would be nice if she was a little more like an earth girl and understood other stuff, but n the whole she was all Robin could ever dream of.

Robin would never tell anyone how he felt about her, seeing as 'dating within the team only leads to trouble', words from Batman himself. But Robin could love her from a far. And he could protect her from all evil like he had promised.

No one could imagine the horror and sickness Robin felt when Slade forced him to fight her…

"Robin you are my best friend, and I can not live in a world were we must fight." Starfire said. She was floating in front of him, her hand raised and green light forming around her palm. "If you are truly evil, then do as you must."

She lowered her hand, and her head, waiting for Robin to do something.

The nagging voice inside of Robin's ear told him to fire his laser at her and get out of there so he could give what he had just stole to his 'master'. But Robin couldn't bring himself to do it. Seeing her like this, almost crying because of something he did, it made him sick!

"Star- I-." Robin lowered his gun, and Srarfire looked him strait in the eye. But before he could answer a booming voice broke out in his ear.

"Now look what you've done!" Slade hissed.

Out of nowhere Starfire screamed in pain and fell from where she was floating. Robin just barely caught her in mid air.

Looking down Robin saw those beautiful green eyes turn bright orange and red, her body felt life less…she was going cold.

"No." Robin whispered.

He looked down at Raven, Cyborg, and Beast Boy (Who had been forced to battle a few minutes ago and beat them to the ground) they were all doing the same as Starfire… dieing.

"Blast her…or I will kill her." Slade said almost lazily.

Robin gently laid the girl down, and gazed sown at her.

"Robin…" She said softly. Her voice was pained and soft.

"I'm sorry." He tells her

Taking out his laser blaster again, he points at his beloved Starfire…and shots…


	3. Fahter's Pride

Sometimes when we do something wrong the last people we want to learn about it is our parents. Seeing as they raised us and take the blame on themselves and lecture us that "they raised us better" or 'What's the matter with you?'. Other times they give us the worst treatment…the silent treatment.

It pains us the most because when they don't say anything, they don't want to talk to you, they don't even want to look at you, when they yell at least their not so displeased to ignore you existence.

The very last person Robin ever wanted to learn about his new imprisonment was Bruce Wayne… but he couldn't prevent it from happening ether, considering Slade wanted him to still something from 'Wayne Enterprise'. The very building that he owned.

Laying Starfire down on the Ground of the top of Wayne Enterprise, Robin looked around.

The 'A' and 'Y' in the giant "Wayne" had been completely knocked over, and the 'E' was flickering as if the light had been broken…Robin had no idea that the fight had been that messy.

Robin then looked at his friends, all lying on the ground. Slade had stopped the probes from killing them, but they were all still knocked out. He looked at Raven, her hair was messed and her skin was paler then usual. Cyborg, he was lying there like a broken down computer… Best Boy… innocent, sweet Beast Boy was busied and scraped…

And Starfire…She didn't have any outer damage, but her face was tear stained and her mouth was slightly opened.

After looking gat his friends he looked at the 'Wayne' sign again.

"_What have I done?"_ Robin thought. "_I'm so sorry…please, try to understand."_

When people get into fights with their friends, there's a filling that builds up in our gut and then moves to our heart…a felling that tell us we were wrong for ruining such a perfect thing. Usually we make up with our friends, other times we hold on to our pride and never speak to them again, but cry in the night wonder why we did it…but know it's too late to come back.

Robin knew it was too late. Even if his friends realized why he did it, they would always be afraid of him, and never trust him again because he didn't tell them what was going on…and even if they did, even if they did find out, even if they did understand, and even if they did forgive him…the felling of betrayal would still be there.

Slade wasn't only making him betray his friends…he was making him betray his Father…

Break-

_ RING_

_The phone echoed through out the giant house. _

_RING _

_Bruce Wayne looked up from what he was doing and reached over to answer the phone that was sitting in front of him on his desk. _

_"Hello?" he asked into the phone. Expecting it to be some sales person (because they were the only ones who called in the middle of the night) He picked his pen up again and looked down at his work. _

_ "Mr. Wayne?" asked a male voice. _

_ "Yes." Bruce answered. _

_ "I'm calling from Wayne Enterprise." The man continued. "There's been a break in." _

_ "Oh'?" he asked. Bruce wasn't shocked; Wayne Enterprise was constantly being broken into. _

_ "Any idea who did it?" Bruce asked almost lazily. _

_ "Our cameras were able to film the people when they went to the roof." Answered the man. There was a silence on the other end, and then the faint sound of typing, the man was most likely checking the computers to look at the tapes. "Yes we got them. Well by the way it looks, it looks like only one stole and the others tried to stop. But we can't be sure." _

_ "What do you mean?" Bruce asked. He was getting a little more interested, sounded like a confusing steal. _

_ "Well there's one kid, holding the stolen object, and there's four other kids fighting with him." _

_ Bruce stopped from writing in his work, and looked up, suddenly completely interested in what the man had to tell him. "Kids?" _

_ "Yes sir." There was sound of typing again. "Wait. Make that, teenagers. We've identified the people. And you won't believe it!" _

_ The man sound amused. "Who are they?" _

_ "The Teen Titans sir." _

_ Bruce dropped his pen. His mouth fell open with shock. No. It couldn't be. _

_ "Mr. Wayne?" the man asked. _

_ "Are-are you sure?" Bruce asked in complete shock. His voice was shaky and hoarse. _

_ "Yes sir." The man answered. "They were fighting one of their members…whoa…" _

_ "What!" Bruce yelled. _

_ "The one who was stealing…" The man answered. Then he started to laugh. "It's that Boy Wonder, Robin!" _

_ Bruce felt his heart stop. No. That couldn't be true… IT COULDN'T! _

_ "THAT'S A LIE! ROBIN WOULDN'T DO THAT!" Bruce had even gotten out of his chair, and was yelling in the phone. _

_ "I- I'm saying what's here Mr. Wayne. Don't kill the messenger." The man stuttered. _

_ "I will! BECAUSE YOU'RE LYING TO ME!" Bruce roared. _

_ "Here. I'll fax over the camera shots." Then there was a loud beep. _

_ Bruce fell back in his chair. No. It couldn't be his Robin… Not the teen that was all for Justice, and what was right. Robin would never steal. _

_ It probably was not the smartest thing to do by yelling at the man, considering Bruce didn't want anyone finding out he was Batman, but he couldn't help it. It just came. _

_ There was a loud Beep-bu-beep, from his fax machine. Getting up on shacking legs, Bruce walked to the other side of the room. Bruce watched at a few sheets of paper came out of the machine. Bruce slowly picked up the papers, and felt sick to his stomach. _

_ There, right in his hands, was proof that the man was telling the truth. Robin stealing something, Robin beating up his friends, Robin, jumping of the building and fleeing from the seen of the crime, Robin, Robin, ROBIN! _

_ "What have you done?" _

What would people do if they knew that the 'Boy Wonder' wasn't perfect, what would they do if they knew that he was just a kid, if he had no true power? What would they say if they knew the pain of his past? And of the pain of his present.

Would they still look at him as a hero?

Robin didn't even look at himself as a hero anymore, he saw himself as a criminal. A villain. Steal from his father, hurting his friends… why had he let this happen.

Because, he wanted Slade. Because he was an obsessed freak who could never just relax and have fun. Because he had a team of four he had to watch over and protect. Because he wanted to be the one to bring Slade down. Because he wanted to know that it was he who but the man behind bars… because….

Because he was more like Slade then he thought.

Robin felt that if he didn't do something, if he didn't keep fighting, he would become Slade…**From the inside out…**

Alright, I have a question, if you remember how the fight seen with Slade and robin went in the show could you please tell me? I forgot, and I may just have to make it up and it may ruin the story…THANKS FOR READING!

By the way, sorry it's so short!


	4. What Now

Ok, because no one told me how the fight went I'm just going to make it up. I'm going to do my best. So just hold on ok? I'm going to do my best… ok here goes. ALSO I'M NOT TO GOOD AT BATTLE SCENES SO YEAH…

And just to tell you this is going to be a type of behind the scene part, what was going on in Slade's lair when the titans were figuring out what was going on

What _has _he done!

Look at what he was doing. How did it come to this? Why had he even given Slade a chance to do this?

Maybe because he wanted to be the hero and get the bad-guy. Maybe because, he had left his team alone and turned his back for a little too long. Because-Because…

Because he was, Robin.

He was the Boy Wonder and he had a job to do…. And he failed.

He had failed every one. His friends. His team. His father.

He had failed himself.

Robin had become what he said he would never be. A villain. He had become Slade…

And he didn't stop it from happening…until now. He wasn't going to let Slade win! Never!

He had to fight and he HAD to win.

"Face it Robin." Slade hissed. "You can't beat me. Your nothing compared to me."

"You wanna bet?" Robin yelled.

Robin spun around away from the wall and swung his first as hard as he could at Slade; who merely moved his head to avoid the blow. Robin took that as a taunt, and swung his first faster, harder. Again and again. But Slade just moved left and right avoiding every blow that Robin threw at him.

Then suddenly, Robin saw an arm come out of nowhere at his head. By instinct Robin's hand came up into a upward thrust, just barley blocking his head from Slade's powerful hit.

But the punch was just the distraction; Slade kicked Robin directly in the stomach. Robin doubled over clutching his gut and coughed for air.

"Still believe you can even measure up to me?" Slade asked walking closer to Robin who was leaning against the wall for support. "Do you even still think your worth anything?"

Slade's words shot through him like a bullet to the heart. Fast, cold, hard, and painful.

"Shut up." Robin coughed up.

"Why?" Came Slade's cold voice in Robin's ear. The tiny hairs on the back of Robin's neck stuck up as he felt the presence of Slade. "What can you do? This is a battle that you can't win."

"Doesn't mean I can't win the war!" Yelled Robin. He turned around again with his fist raised and struck.

WHAM

Slade had caught his first before Robin even had a chance to hit him.

"Do we really need to do this?" Slade sounded almost bored… which angered Robin.

"UNTIL I BEAT YOU! YES!" He screamed. Twisting his body into a graceful martial arts flip he was able to escape from Slade's grasp.

Robin landed a surprisingly far distance away from Slade.

"_Good." _He thought. "_This gives me a better chance at winning!"_

Quickly he reached to utility belt and pulled out his bow-staff. Twirling it around in his fingers then swinging it in front of his face; he hoped that he was intimidating Slade.

"Do you really wish to do this, Robin?" Slade asked. Robin's horror he whipped out his own bow-staff… that looked a lot thicker and heavier that his. "I'll win again."

"Never." Robin hissed. And with a roar of rage Robin charged with his bow raised high above his head.

Swinging his bow with all his might at his target… Slade's head.

There was a loud noise as the weapons collided with one another.

"_Oh Fuck."_ Robin thought. There was no way he could win this battle. Slade was better than him.

He was bigger, stronger, better at fighting... He had all the advantages. But that didn't mean Robin had to let him know that.

"Give it up, Robin." Robin hated the way Slade said his name. "You can never defeat me. I will always be around. Always."

He pushed harder on his bow-staff. Robin felt his heels dig into the ground and against his will slide back about an inch or two.

Slade was getting stronger, and Robin felt himself growing weaker and weaker.

But the fire that was building inside of Robin's heart was too much to ignore. He HAD to fight. The fire was in control. Like it always had been, from day one. His very own competitive burning fire. The fire that never went out and that never let him have any fun with anything he did because the fire mad it war.

Robin was able to do a graceful backhand spring and get away from the Slade. Landing on the ground with one hand on the ground and the other raised in the air.

"_Who's nothing now?"_ Robin thought bitterly. Maybe he still had a chance… as olong as he didn't give into the pressure and keep his mind focused and-

Pow

Slade had run over to Robin and hit him hard in the rips before he could react. A gasp of pain escaped from Robin's lips and then again unaware Slade had swept his leg and kicked Robin in the back of the knees.

Robin fell flat on his back. He tried to role away from Slade, but he was to fast. Slade launched his body on top of Robin's, and grabbed the boy by his ebony hair.

The Boy Wonder was defeated.

"Get off me!"

"Apparently you were never taught manners." Slade hissed pulling on his hair a little harder. "What a pity."

Robin let out a growl of frustration. He tried to wiggle himself free of Slade's clutches. No good.

"Why even fight it Robin." There he goes saying Robin's name again. "You know you enjoy being a thief. You like the thrill of it all. You want to be my apprentice. Admit it."

Robin said nothing, but tried to move his head with all his might, but Slade's hand stayed where it was.

"Admit it. You always wanted to be a villain. Just say it."

"Never." Robin hissed.

"Why?"

"Because it's not true!"

"Why lie to yourself?"

Slade slammed robin's head in the ground. Hard. Robin could already feel the bruises forming on his temple.

"You don't have to lie to me, Robin. I know your every thought. I know you better than anyone else in this world. I know what you want. And I can give it to you. You just have to do what I say."

"You don't know me! And you never will!" Robin turned his head up to look at Slade, he didn't stand thinking that his legs would give away because of the dizziness in his head. "I wouldn't even be here if you weren't threatening my friend's lives. So don't you ever say that you know me! Because you don't! DON'T YOU DARE EVEN TRY TO ACT LIKE MY FAHTER!"

There was an eerie silence after Robin had yelled those words. The word 'Father' echoes through the dark halls of Slade's lair.

Robin breathed heavily waiting to Slade to do something.

Secretly Robin wanted for Slade to start a fight again. Maybe next time he would remember some of Slade's tricks and win. Then he would be free to save his friends and get the hell out of there.

But it never came. Slade just stood there. Then out of nowhere, something of a laugh came from behind Slade's mask. It wasn't a happy laugh; it wasn't the laugh that fills ones lunges up with clean and fresh air, the kind that makes people feel good. It was the kind that fills a cold room and somehow makes it feel colder. The kind that you might hear in a horror movie, the kind that haunts your dreams…the kind that still haunts Robins…

"Look around you Robin." Chills ran up and down Robin's back. "There's no one else there. You will never see your friends again. You will never see your… father again. Just me. So…in a way… you have no choice but to let me be your father."

"I may have to stay here. I may have to do everything you say." Robin stood on shaking legs. "But I will never"- he moved his arm in front of him to give the word never more feeling- "be my father! Got it."

'Have it your way." Slade said as he started to walk away. "Be lonely for ever."

"I won't have to. Because I wouldn't be here forever!" Yelled Robin, forming his hands into fist incase he Slade threatened his friends again and he had to fight.

Slade stopped and turned to Robin. "As long as you want you friends to remain alive… you will stay here."

"I just have to wait until the probes die out!"

"They will never die."

"That's a lie. They can't survive forever in their bloodstream!"

"Yes. They can."

And Slade was gone.

That couldn't be true could it? Would Slade's probe really stay in Robin's friend's body forever? Would Robin really have to work for Slade for the rest of his life? Would he always be Slade's little apprentice?

Why did life have to be so cruel? Why did all the answers in life have to be the wrong ones? Why did everything have to be so hard?

And why did everything have to happened to him? And why did it all have to be out of fears?

One thing that Robin feared was that one-day Slade would walk in and decide that Robin had failed him. What if he walked in and said…

"_You have displeased me Robin." Slade would hiss. " You've failed as an apprentice."_

"_What's that supposed to mean?" Robin would answer back._

"_It means that you lose your friends." And with that he would press the button and send his friends to their deaths._

"_NOOOO!" Robin would charge, but it would be to late._

The images danced in his head and floated on the top of his head. He would feel his heart sink and his stomach lurch every time he had to walk past the T.V. screens that showed his friend's infected blood stream. He would run past them as fast as he could just so he could avoid looking at them.

Slade had only one small wastebasket in his lair (because it wasn't his real home Slade saw no reason to have a real trash can) but it wasn't enough for when Robin had to rush over and vomit in. And more than once did Robin have to do that. The thought of watching his friends die would make him lose all feelings in his head and then he would feel the burning hot liquid rise up to his throat. Then he would find himself run the dark corner of the lair were that stupid tiny little basket was and he would puck his guts out.

And when he would rise up on shaking legs coughing to get air, and using the back of his hand to whip his mouth, he would turn, and there would be Slade. Just watching him shaking his head.

"I thought you were strong, Robin. You clearly need more training, you're getting soft."

"I am strong. And I don't need anymore training from you. I don't need anything from you!" Robin would shot back.

And then Slade would strike him across the face for his insolence. And after just vomiting, Robin wasn't very fast to block it.

A different fear that Robin had was that Bruce was to find out. What would Robin do then? Would he help Robin, like he always did? Or would he tell Robin that he had used up all of Bruce's trust and what if he didn't want him as a son anymore. What would he do then?

"Why would you do this?" Bruce would look sad and disappointed. He most likely not even look Robin in the eyes? "Why?"

'Bruce- I, I had no choice." Robin would try to reach out a hand to Bruce but he would turn away from it.

"Did you forget everything I ever taught you? You always have a choice Robin!" He would be yelling at Robin with his back turned. "Did I really not raise you right? I taught you everything and you choice this path in the end."

"Bruce that's not true." Robin would try not to defend himself, but to defend his mentor. "You raised me right!"

"Then what happened to you?"

"If you would just listen-"

"I don't really want to hear anything you have to say Robin." His words would be hard and cold. "I would appreciate it if you left now, Robin."

Even thought robin knew that Batman would never say that to him, the horror of it still haunted him. He didn't think he could handle it if he had to look at Bruce when he found out. Robin just prayed that Bruce would NEVER find out.

The last fear was that Slade was telling the truth about the probes. That they would stay in their bodies forever… and Robin would have to work for Slade forever too. And what if Robin became Slade.

"_I'm proud of you, Robin." Slade would tell him, resting a hand on his back._

"_Thank you Master." The words that Robin feared he would come to say. _

"_Ready for our next steal.'_

"_Of course." Robin would be smirking. _

"_Great. You really have become a good apprentice."_

"_I try…father."_

What if that happened! WHAT THEN! What if- what if he never saw his friends again, what if he had to fight them… forever? What would he do then?

Sorry so short but I'm going to bed ya'll!


	5. Dreams Die hard

Thank you so much for all the nice reviews. I'm so sorry that I haven't been posting, we had a death in my family, my grandma… I was really close to her and I have been going back and forth between my relatives home that I haven't had time to sit down and write, but I'm here now and I'm on it.

I think I'm going to use Rose Eclipse's idea and show Bruce again… I just hope I have the right idea and did not read what she said wrong… if I did I'm sorry! And it may not be too good… I haven't been able to think since my grandma died… but I'm going to do my best so hold on… (Sorry about my last chapter being confusing!)

**Yeah. Again I have an idea but I'm not sure if I like it too much so if you don't just say no and I'll delete it and put in a different one…(The dream part may not make since but if I keep with this chapter it will make since in later chapters)**

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"Be strong Robin." 

That voice; it sounded so familiar. It was all around him, like a song drifting in the air. And it was close. So very close that Robin could almost feel the words against his skin as if the person who had said it was standing over him.

"You need to fight this Robin."

There it was again. The smooth, rich and firm voice flowed thickly into Robin's ears. His heart beat faster. That voice… he knew that voice. But- but it couldn't be, he couldn't be here. Robin didn't want him to be here, not with Slade over powering him, not with Robin lying on the floor like a sick animal.

"Be brave."

It was his voice all right. But why was it there? And why was it still trying to help Robin? It should e walking away as fast as it could and never looking back.

"Get up and fight."

Robin's mouth opened slowly then closed again, unsure of what to say. After a few moments of complete silence, Robin said the only thing that came to his mind. "I- I can't."

Robin felt a warm hand stroke the side of his face. It was a gentle reassuring touch. The hand slowly moved to Robin's forehead and brushed the stray bangs out of Robin's eyes. It was comforting to Robin; made him feel safe and protected. Nothing could hurt him or scare him as long as the hand was there.

The hand moved down to his chin and lifted his slightly and grasped it firmly.

"Yes you can, Robin. You're not weak, and you never have been. So get up and fight."

Robin flinched. Those words were somehow hurtful; it felt like the voice was criticizing Robin, telling him that he was a bad person.

"Open your eyes and fight."

Robin gulped down the lump in his throat. He tried to think of something else to say, something to tell the voice to go away without sounding mean, but there was no way of saying it… because inside Robin didn't want the voice to leave, he did want it to go away ever again.

Slowly Robin began to obey. His eyes flickered painfully, they were sore and heavy from lack of sleep and beating due to Slade.

Finally, Robin was able to hold them open and gaze at the person standing over him.

Batman.

Standing over Robin like a large black statue, Batman held Robin in a steady and hard gaze, as if afraid to blink because Robin' wouldn't be there anymore. His square jaw held a frown and his lips were tightly pressed together, like always. His black-gloved hand was still cupping Robin's face, which was the only thing that looked somewhat kind from Robin's angle. But Batman always looked like that.

Robin looked around at his other surroundings. He wasn't in Slade's dark and cold lair anymore; he was in a different room. It was a cozy, and warm room. After looking around Robin realized he was back in Titan's tower. He was sitting on the floor of his very room! But he wasn't really concerned on how he got there, he was wondering about Slade, about Batman… about his friends. And how he couldn't do what Batman was telling him to do.

"I can't fight." Robin admitted to his mentor again. Begging that Batman would understand Robin remanded lying on the ground, his back pressed against the wall for support to sit up, looking into Batman's firm eyes.

Batman moved his hand from Robin's chin. If possible he frowned a little more and then knelt down to be at Robin's eye level. Batman always did teach Robin to look someone in their eyes when you are speaking to them.

"You can.'

"I can't!" Robin said loudly. Batman's eyes widened at the sudden out break out, but quickly recovered and glared at his 'son'. "Look at me! Look at what I've done! How can you possibly even look at me? I'm a criminal."

Robin chocked on his last words and then dropped his head down to his chest and let out quiet sobs.

Why did this have to happen? Why couldn't everything just go back the way it used to be when his friends were safe and laughing, when Batman was in Gotham City trusting Robin to protect jump City, when no one knew who the hell Slade was? That's all Robin wanted, was for Slade to suddenly disappear off the face of the earth. The Robin could tell everyone way he did what he did, and then things could go back the way they used to be. Maybe Robin would still feel guilt and maybe his friends might still feel betrayed, but they would be together again. The happy family that they used to be.

After sitting in silence for a while Robin looked back into his mentor's dark eyes, hoping to see some form of light, a way to get him out of this mess.

But there was nothing, just an ocean of dark azure swirls. Robin gazed at those blue eyes harder, still nothing. No. This couldn't be, the one time he truly needed Batman, and Batman had nothing to help him with, there had to be something.

"What can I do?" Asked Robin. Who knows? Maybe Batman still had some hidden tricks up his sleeves. "You have to help me."

Robin extended his hand out to Batman. It was covered in a green glove again; his uniform, it was back where it belonged, on his body.

Batman just looked at his hand, but he didn't grab it. He didn't reach back and help Robin, just stared shaking his masked head.

"Only you can do this."

"That's not fair." Robin said. His shoulders began to tremble. Why? Why did he have to do it by himself? Couldn't Batman help him?

"Life isn't fair. But you have to fight him Robin. You can do it. Look at what your doing right now! You're a hero."

"I'm not." Whispered Robin. How could he be a hero? He was letting people take control of him. He had let Slade win; he had put his life in danger. How could he ever be a hero?

"You are." Batman told him. He placed his strong hands on Robin's shoulder and squeezed slightly. "Your saving your friends very lives right now. That's a hero thing, Robin."

His words were smooth, yet emotionless, like always. And yet, somehow, they were trying to push Robin on, they made Robin feel hopeful. But what was hope anyway?

Was it something Robin had?

No.

Was it something he fought crime with?

No.

Did it get him threw his day?

No.

Was it something he needed?

Yes.

"They think I betrayed them." Shaking his head Robin could almost feel his heart rate increasing. It was harder to say then it was to think. "They think I'm doing this because I want to. And I can't tell them that their wrong because Slade will- he'll… Oh' god he'll kill them!"

Robin wanted to cry; he wanted to bang his fist on the ground and just scream like a child throwing a tantrum. But he held back, he sniffed in his tears and just pulled at his cape slightly.

"Exactly." Batman shook Robin's shoulders gently trying to get Robin to stop feeling sorry for himself and pay attention. "He will kill them, and you know that. That's why you're here and that's what makes you a hero."

Robin said nothing. Batman did have a point; he was keeping his friends alive by selling himself. But at such a price. He had to do things that he never imagined on doing. But it _did_ help his friends.

"And that's why I can't fight. He could hurt them. He already tried it once. And seeing Starfire like that- like she was going to- God I love her, I can't put her life in danger."

"That's why you have to fight. Other wise he'll just make you do more and more things that you don't want to do. So go and find a way."

"How?"

Batman said nothing. He just pointed to Robin's badge on his chest. Robin, who was confused with what his mentor was trying to tell him, shot a questioning look at Batman.

"What's that supposed to mean?"

"Just what I have been trying to tell you." Was all that Batman said.

What the hell was that supposed to mean! What was Batman trying to tell him?

But before Robin could voice out what he was thinking Batman began to fade away. He was slowly disappearing before robin's eyes. The hand that was pointing to Robin's chest was slowly moving away from, as if someone or something was pulling it back.

Batman wasn't the only thing changing. Darkness began to wash over the cozy room. The room and Batman were being devoured by shadow and Robin was just sitting there to dazed and confused to do anything about it.

Robin shook his head in disbelieve. This couldn't be happing Batman couldn't leave yet. Robin had so many question left to ask him still.

But the darkness had other plans, it wanted life to remain horrible for Robin, it wanted to get rid of Batman.

"Bruce! Bruce!" Robin tried to run at the disappearing man, he tried to pull the black vines that were closing gin around him, but it did nothing. Nothing was helping.

And then, right when Robin blinked his eyes… Batman was gone.

He was surrounded by eternal darkness. No one was around him. He was alone. All alone hidden within a blinding black blanket. And no one was there to help him. No one was there to care for him.

Robin fell on all fours and let his head drop. Ebony unkempt hair feel in front of his face shielding his eyes as he wept. Tears began to fall from beneath his black mask, only to suddenly vanish in a second into the darkness as they made their way to the ground.

"Now, now Robin." A voice filled the darkness It was loud and deafening, like a just fired gun. "Is that anyway to show that you're brave?"

"Slade." There he was, the man that caused all this. The man that beat him, the man that threatened his friend's lives, the man who made him steal from his 'father' the man who-

The man who turned him into a villain.

And he was standing right behind Robin; Robin could feel him. His somehow cased his own eerie showdown on top of Robin; somehow he brought more darkness into the already black room.

"Get up."

What? Was Slade going to tell him the same thing that Batman did? Was he going to tell Robin that he needed to fight, and that he needed to be strong.

No. That wasn't Slade. Slade wasn't and never will be a good guy. He was all bad, from his dark and scary mask, all the way to his dark and cold heart. He just wanted power. Nothing more. He didn't want a son. He didn't need one ether. He just wanted Robin for the minor, power hungry reasons.

One; Robin was the leader of the Teen Titans. He could make the whole city fall apart.

Two; Robin was strong and knew how to fight. He knew kung fu, he could ride a motorcycle and he had courage like no other could imagine.

Three; Robin was human. Punch him… he'd bleed. Attack him from the heart… he would fall. It was only natural. He had chosen to be a hero and heroes fall on their knees to love.

And it wasn't to hard to see that he loved his team mates… and that his was IN love with one. All Slade had to do was simply get them away from robin for a short time. Which wasn't too hard, Robin tried to hard to take things one by himself. And then when their protective leader was gone… he could strike.

And he did. He stabbed Robin right threw the heart. And Robin bleeds.

So when Slade was telling him to get up he probably just wanted Robin to do something else for him. Because there was no way that he wanted Robin to fight him. It would take power away. It would ruin his whole plan. Why would he want Robin to win?

"I said; get up!"

Robin's eyes snapped open very suddenly. And what he was looking up made him want to close his eyes again and return to his dark world… because being alone had to be better than this.

You can tell a lot about your life when you first wake up. Maybe you wake up to a colorful and lightly decorated room, just as the sun's rays hit your face, reassuring you into a happy day. That was the way Robin used to wake up… then he'd stretch and spend the day with his friends and FIGHT crime.

But now he woke to see a tall and dark man standing over him. Slade had his arms crossed in front of his body and Robin could tell he was glaring at him from behind his mask. Not a very good picture to wake up to…

"Get up off the ground apprentice." He said slowly and thickly.

Robin sighed and shook his head to wake up a little. He rather not do what Slade said… but what choice did he have?

Slowly and painfully standing up Robin tried to remember his latest dream, and if it had anything in it to help.

What was he thinking? It was a dream; of course it didn't have anything to help him! Dreams weren't real. They couldn't help him… not now… not ever. Dreams were things that die-hard and you hold them in your hands long after they've turned to dust. That's all they were, and nothing more.

"Yes?" Robin hissed in anger to Slade, refusing to look him in the eyes.

"Don't use such a tone. There is no reason to be angry with me." Slade shook his head at Robin as if disappointed with him. But Robin knew he was just trying to piss him off… and he did.

"No reason to be mad! Are you crazy! There's every reason to be mad!" Robin was so mad.

One; he had been woken up.

Two; Slade was fucking taunting him!

Three; he didn't want to be here

"Really? What have I done wrong? You're the one stealing. You're the one who is fighting your friends… not me." Slade took a heavy steep closer to Robin. Was he just looking for war or something? Did he want Robin to fight him?

If he did Robin wasn't going to let him down on that one.

Out of nowhere Robin lashed out. Feeling the rage that was bubbling in him for a long time, he finally let it escape to the surface. He was going to let it out, and he was going to take it out on Slade.

Robin swung his fist as hard as he could at the moment at Slade's chest. Thinking he had finally caught the villain off guard, and that maybe he could win…

He thought wrong.

Slade was too fast… AGAIN! He was somehow able to catch Robin's hand in mid attack. Maybe he did know Robin's ever thought… his every move and his every feeling.

Robin didn't want to think that that might be the case.

"Do you want to do this again? I do have your friends lives in my hands need I remind you."

Robin's fury stopped. He had forgotten the possibilities of his actions once again. He quickly loosened his grip and when Slade let go of his hand he took a few steps back until his back hit the cold wall. Chills of ice sent through his body when his back his the wall… but the cold on the outside was nothing compared to the cold on the inside.

"That's what I thought." Slade hissed. "What do you say apprentice?"

"Sorry…." Robin hesitated on his last words. He knew he had to say it, but he rather not… but what choice did he have? "Master…"

"Good boy. You are learning."

How low could he get? He was really calling Slade master… he was really saying sorry to that- that thing! There was no way Slade could be a man… no way, everyone has to have a little heart, but Slade showed none. Because who with a heart would threaten children's lives? Who with a heart would force a teenager into a life of crime?

And who with a heart would make a hero fall into becoming a villain?

Slade might have had a heart… but only a cold one that pumped cold and raw blood threw his body. He didn't have the kind of heart that gives off feelings? How could he?

Robin was wrong with his first opinion of Slade. When Slade told him that he wanted an apprentice, Robin assumed that he wanted a _ward_. Well a ward was a child under the care of a loving guardian. Robin knew that, he had been a ward before. But this- this was not what you would call ward love.

This was torture. Slade wasn't a loving guardian; he was an evil, mask villain. And Robin wasn't a child who needed care. He wasn't even a child anymore. He was a teenager, a leader, and old enough to live on his own if he really wanted to.

But he didn't want to live alone. That life really sucked. He wanted to live with his four best friends in the world. He wanted to go back to his home in titan's tower, and just be a kid again and be a _hero_ again… not a thief.

Great, there he goes thinking about his old life again. Thinking of the past, dreaming. The past got you nowhere. It only slowed you down. The way Robin saw it was once it was over, the past died… there was no way of going back so why even think about it? All it did was cause pain and misery. The past might still hurt… but it only hurts if you look into it, if you just forget about it… you forget about the pain too.

That was what Batman taught him at least. When Robin was younger he didn't agree with this kind of logic. He thought it was wrong and somewhat mean. Because, if you were to forget about the past, then it never happened. And you can't learn from your mistakes.

But now he understood. Robin now knew why Bruce had chosen to try to forget about his horrible past. It held happy memories. You could think back to a happy time, a time when all was well, only to open your eyes and let it all be snatched away from you. Then your back where you started with nothing but a tear stained face and an upset stomach.

That was why Robin tried to live in the present now… and maybe the future if he could. He tried to imagine how he could get out of this hell of a mess and get back to his team… somehow.

But you could forget the past all you wanted… but you can't forget about the pain.

"Did you have a good sleep?" Slade asked sarcastically. Robin bit on the inside of his lip slightly and narrowed his eyes.

"No. Nothing's good here." He hissed.

"I'm so sorry that you feel that way."

"No your not. You don't care. You just want someone to do your dirty work." Robin started to walk away. There was nowhere he could really go. Anywhere he went would be lonely and cold… and still apart of Slade's lair. But he just had to go somewhere.

"I didn't say you could go yet, Robin." Chills ran up Robin's back to his neck when he heard Slade use his name. He almost preferred 'apprentice' better. But then again, he felt sick to his stomach when ever he heard that.

"What do you want?" Robin asked. He moved to cross his hands in front of his chest, but felt the cold metal of the 'S' on his right side, and lowered his hands to his side again… he rather not be reminded that he was wearing a 'Slade Suit'… a mark of slavery.

"You need to get something for me. Up for it?" Slade asked in his monotone voice.

"Do I really have a choice?" asked Robin coldly.

"No."

Robin sighed. "What do you want?"

Even thought Robin couldn't see his face… Robin could tell that Slade was smiling behind his mask.

Another steal… just another night on the job. The stealing wasn't even the part that bugged robin anymore. He had grown even used to it if it was possible. It was the principle of the matter. What he was doing was wrong, and that was that. And Robin didn't like doing what he knew was wrong; it gave him a bad feeling on the inside. The feeling was almost like guilt and sickness put together. And he didn't like it one bit.

But he was doing it for his friends. He had to do it, other wise the feeling on the inside would be much worse. And it would never go away, no matter what Robin did. And Robin knew this, that's why he stole, that why he fought the police off and that's why he gave the object to Slade.

For his friends… to save their lives…**from the inside out.**

"_**The cool thing about Slade is, he's sorta the 'Bad- Batman." Producer of the Teen Titans. **_

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HOLY FUCK I HATE HOE THIS TURNED OUT! Like I like the whole Slade and Robin thing but I HATE the dream thing. I put it in there because… don't laugh… it kinda happened with me and my grandma… I had this like 'day' dream thing at her funeral of her telling me I had to be strong and not cry. It was really something she told me before she dies, that I had to be strong and not cry _when_ she died. 

ALRIGHT I THINK I'M GOING TO REDUE THIS CHAPTER OVER, LIKE TAKE OUT THE DREAM AND DO SOMETHING ELSE WITH BATS TELLING ROBIN WHAT HE WAS DOING WAS RIGTH.

**BUT IF U LIKE IT JUST SAY SO AND I'LL KEEP IT AND IF YOU DON'T DON'T FEEL BAD TO TELL ME SO BECAUSE I HAVE OTHER IDEAS… I DON'T WANT THIS STORY TO GO ALL BATMANISH ON ME SO YEAH….**


	6. Meaningless

All right, I just saw 'The Apprentice' A little while ago, and I saw that my story was completely off… But you all seem to like it so I'll keep it going I guess. I know now that I showed WAY too much of Batman, not enough Titans, so I'll work on that. Some things I might have already mentioned in the story, (Like I might add in the whole, "I made you my apprentice but the only thing you care about it your friends" thing but that's just because I think I need to redo it and…yeah…. Anyway, I'm working on it. Also it may not be very long, the next chapter will be though. I promise you that much at least. (PLEASE CHECK OUT SOME OF MY OTHER STORIES NO ONE ELSE IS:-( thanks :-) )

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Fire grows. It's always been there from day one, but now it burns deep. It burns thick, hot and strong within him. It's the same fire that pushes him to get up every day, the same one that makes him fight the wrong doers and the same one that makes him strong…

…. And weak.

All it takes is a little spark to set a whole fire. And that's all it took to set Robin off. Get him mad once, and he'll be mad at you forever. Torment him once… and he won't stop until he has tormented you.

Threaten those he loves… and he'll beat you to the ground.

Those were the rules of the 'Boy Wonder'. Every one knew of them and every one feared them. Most backed off and gave Robin exactly what he wanted; peace. While others wanted to see what would happen if they pushed the limits. Would he really beat you and make you learn your lesson the hard way. He's just a kid after all. Was there really any way for him to win? And almost always the answer was yes.

Yes, he was just a kid.

Yes, he would beat you to the ground.

Yes, he would make you learn your place in the world.

And yes, there was always a way for him to win.

But he had to find it first. He had to see his chance… and take it.

And that was his plan for Slade.

Sooner or later Slade would let his guard down and Robin would get that controller… And he would save his friends and he would defeat Slade. He had once even told Slade of his plan once before too, sort of a threat to him… he merely laughed…Sooner or later…

It looked like later…

His friends weren't coming; they still thought him to be a criminal. And his 'father' had no idea, or at least he thought, of what was going on. So it was all his own, and he could do it…if he just tried hard enough… at least he hoped he could.

He just couldn't give into games, no matter what happens.

HE watched as Slade entered the room in which Robin had been standing in, just to try to get away from Slade and think. But Slade always found… typical Slade.

Not wanting to turn around Robin remains looking at the blank wall. Anything was better than looking at Slade, and this way it gave him a chance of thinking of how to defeat him without him reading his mind.

"Looking for something?" Slade usual smooth voice filled Robin's ears.

"No." Robin barley opens his mouth to reply. Sure, the bitter sting of not being able to talk to anyone was hard, but it beat out talking to Slade of all people.

Sometimes in dark corners of others homes you are able to find hidden secrets and past events that have molded the person to be what they are now. Maybe there was a tragic loss, or a bloody fight and that's why the person is bitter. Maybe it was a death of a child and that's why the person feels alone and doesn't let anyone close. Or maybe they killed someone and that's why they're cold and never talk much.

Robin tried to find the past about Slade. Searching threw his desk tops when he was away, or listening to every word that Slade said very closely, in case he might let slip a few clues. Nothing. Not one single thing. Slade was trying to keep something a secret… but what?

Inside Robin knew he didn't really care what it was. He was never going to pity Slade, he was never going to want to help him, and he was never going to agree with him on anything so what did it matter what his past was like? It didn't. But he was still curious…

"Bitterness is the first step to loneliness." Hissed Slade into Robin's ears.

"If I'm bitter it's because of you." Robin shot back. "I'm not lonely I'm mad. Mad at you for making me stay here with you for this long!"

"It hasn't been that long."

"It has too."

He feels Slade slowly walk closer and then lean his masked face over Robin's left shoulder. "It's only been three days, robin."

_Three days?_ Was he telling the truth? No way. It had to be longer than that. It just had to be. It felt more like a decade that just three days.

Lets see, the first night he became Slade's apprentice he spent the day getting mad and getting used to his new costume. The next day Slade made him steal from Wayne Enterprise and he had to fight with his friend, and that night he had gotten sick and tried to fight Slade off… and then he had that weird dream just this morning… wow. It really was only three days. It felt like so much longer. God, what if he had to live here for the rest of his live; it would feel like a never-ending nightmare.

"That's three days too long." Robin hissed. He then felt two heavy hands grip his shoulder.

"It hasn't been that bad."

"Yes it has. I hate doing things that I don't want to do. And your forcing me to, so now you know why I hate you and why I hate it here." Robin shrugged Slade's hands off his shoulder and started to walk away with out even looking at his 'master'.

But he didn't very far before Slade opened his mouth. " I'm not forcing you to do anything robin, you and I both know that."

"I have been monitoring your heart rate and nerve system (a/n I forgot what else he said so well go with nerves) and even though you will not admit it it's a high level."

Robin stopped and clutched his hands in the form of a fist. Slade had better not say what he thought he was. Robin hated thinking it, he hated believing it and he hated hearing it. If Slade was going to say it he would-

"You enjoy it. The thrill, the excitement; doing something you know is wrong and getting away with it. It's fun to you. It's new and entertaining thing. If anything I'm doing you a favor."

That's it.

Robin turned and ran at Slade with all his might and swung his fists. First his left fists at Slade's head and when Slade was dodging that blow, Robin it him in the chest.

Finally. Robin had hit Slade and not gotten hit back.

Slade doubled over for a small second, but quickly recovered, but not quick enough. Robin slammed his fist as hard as he could into Slade's face. Then swung his leg behind the back of Slade's knees. Slade feel to the ground with an echoing thud.

Robin stood over Slade with his back strait and first still clenched tight. Finally, he had beaten Slade. He had proven himself worthy and more powerful than that of Slade. All the self-doubt in him, all the underestimating no seemed far away. He was better that Slade, the very person who had imprisoned him. One more kick at Slade's head and-

BAM

Once again Robin had underestimated Slade. Right when Robin was about to kick the man in the head, he, with his long legs, kicked Robin directly in the chest and used his body to pull his up from off the ground.

"Arg!" Robin wasn't going to let Slade win again. He was going to win no matter what. And he was going to save his friends, even if it killed him in the process.

Robin jumped off the ground when Slade's legs came to knock him to the ground like he had just done, then he tried to hit Slade in the head with his metal-covered foot… if only he wasn't so short.

Enraged by his apprentice's resent out break, Slade moved faster and hit harder than ever. Robin just had to block every blow, or it could lead to serious injury.

Robin merely ducked when Slade's fist came flying at his head, and then stepped to the side when Slade's leg came plunging at his ribs.

_How do you like being taunted?_ Robin thought bitterly.

Robin jumped in the air and kicked once with each of his legs, hitting Slade in the head each time. Then when he landed on the ground again, he turned his body avoiding Slade's heavy punches, and punched with all his might at Slade's head.

There was a hollow snapping noise as Slade's mask spit down the middle.

Slade backed away from Robin quickly, his hand over the mask. Robin just stood there, surprised at what he had just down.

Sure, he had been able to take Slade's mask off before, but this was different, this wasn't just a battle in the middle of no where, trying to get Slade to admit what he was up to. No, this was a war in the middle of a battlefield, trying to fight for Robin's life. And for a brief and shinning moment Robin thought he had finally won.

There are many times in our lives when we think we've done something so great and so wonderful only to look back at it later and think you could have done so much better. We may think when were little that we have just made the most wonderful drawing in the world and then find it in some old box in the garage and then think it was just a bunch of messy lines and not understand why it meant so much to you in the first place. Or maybe you look back on a relationship you had with someone you really thought might be the one, and you ask yourself what happened? Why did it turn out this way in the end? We had everything… only to look back and realize you didn't have it in the first place. It was meaningless.

Nothing is ever meaningless. Nothing is ever there for no reason. Maybe that drawing looks bad to you now, but when you were little, it was the greatest thing and filled you with pride and helped you with your self-esteem. That drawing may have saved your life in the long run. Or maybe that relationship you used to have, just because it didn't turn out alright in the end, maybe just because your not friends now, well you were, and you were in love for a short while, and it meant something for that while.

Just because something doesn't turn out the way we wanted them to, doesn't mean they weren't worth it for the while.

Even though Robin didn't know it then, and maybe he'll never admit it to anyone, but his time with Slade taught him so much. In a lot of ways, it was worth it in the end.

Standing there in front of Slade, watching him struggle with his damaged mask, Robin realized how much he had learned.

By listening to Slade and by watching him for so long he had learned how to over come Slade, he had learned that you just had to be faster and you couldn't go wrong. He just had to keep up with the villain, beat him before he had the chance to strike. He had made the mistake of being too slow once already, it had gotten his friends very lives in danger, and he wasn't going to let it happen again.

When he realized that he mask had only been cracked and was going to remain of his face, Slade turned dangerously slow to Robin.

"You need to learn your place apprentice." He hissed. Robin had never heard him sound so cold before.

"I already know it. It's back at Titan's tower." Robin answered in the same low voice.

Without warning Slade charged, and at the same time, much to Slade's surprise so did Robin. When the two met there was a coition of fist and feet as the two struck at each other without mercy.

Just as robin was about to kick Slade in the leg, the other one came and hit Robin hard in the stomach. Robin flew across the room and hit the wall were Slade kept many of the gadgets and knobs that powered the lair.

Thinking quickly, Robin looked down to his right. There beside him were a few long levers used for lighting. Robin grabbed the handle of one and kicked with all his might, the lever snapped away from his base.

If he couldn't use his weapons, because Slade had taken them away, then he was going to make his own. And this lever stick would make the perfect Bow Staff.

Robin twirled the bow in front of him then held it out with a strong grasp. Slade wasn't going to win… not this time.

Slade ran forward yelling at Robin as he did so. Robin couldn't really make out the words that he was saying all he heard was the beating of his heart and his own mind saying _faster, faster. _

Slade must have not considered that Robin held the advantage. Right when Slade was going to strike at Robin, Robin swung his bow staff and knocked Slade to the ground.

Slade feel, and grabbed his mask again, it must have been coming loss because he didn't let it go for a while.

"What are you going to do now Robin?' Slade hissed as Robin walked closer to the man.

"Something I should have done a long time ago." Robin reached to his chest and pulled as hard as he could on the medal 'S' on his 'Slade uniform' until it came free of the outfit.

Robin didn't even look at it; he threw it at the ground, where it landed in front of Slade and turned to walk away. "I'm out of here."

Before robin could get very far he heard the familiar sound of an enraged Slade from behind him.

Once again the Boy Wonder was too slow.

Robin turned around to prepare for battle again but Slade was already there. Slade threw himself on top of Robin and the two fell to the ground with Slade on top… with his hand firmly on top of Robin's head.

_No. Not again._

"Not bad Robin." Slade whispered in his ear. "Maybe with a few more years of training you might pose of a threat."

Robin felt the hand grow heavier. Slade was forcing his face to the ground, his fingers digging into his temples. The pain was there again. It swarmed into his head from every direction and made it imposable for him to fight back.

Slade was going to win again…

Then out of nowhere a voice filled the lair with noise… it sounded so familiar too…

"Leave him alone!"

* * *

Ahhh that turned out bad… but o well…. I'll make the last one (maybe next one or two more after that don't really know yet) really good, promise. Anyway, if it's not too much to ask… do you think maybe you could look at my other stories…. Their not very good but I think their alright……. THANK YOU :BLOWS KISSES: 


	7. Heart Beat

It's a strange thing love. It can come in many different ways and many different places. Love for a child… love for a parent, love for a pet, love for a wife, love for a husband…

And love for a friend.

People say Love can make us do crazy things. Maybe their right, or maybe love just makes us do stupid things… that are mistaken for crazy or bravery.

Robin didn't know what to call this act of love from his friends. They were brave because they had told Slade to buzz off. They were crazy for coming into Slade's lair. And they were down right stupid for putting their life on the line just for him!

"Leave him alone!"

Robin lifted his head as much as he could with Slade's hand still on his head towards the sound of the voice. He didn't have to look to see who it was; he recognized the voice all to well. And he cursed himself for letting her come.

Starfire.

Lifting his head he could see that he was right. There standing a small distance away from where he and Slade had been wrestling on the ground stood Beast Boy, Raven, Cyborg and of course in the front of the party, Starfire. She was standing proud, back strait, red hair flowing behind her. But something was different. He face, it wasn't happy and glowing like usual. Her pretty features were darkened with concern and sternness.

Slade released Robin's head and ran. The coward. What was he afraid of fighting four teenagers?

"Fight them with all you got Robin." Slade hissed before he disappeared into the darkness.

No he wasn't afraid of teenagers. He just rather have Robin fight them. He wanted to see if he could torment longer. To see if he could once and for all break Robin.

But Robin didn't want to fight. He didn't want to be forced into that again. It was unbearable the first time. And that was when they had fought back. This was different. They were here to help Robin… not to mention Robin just got the crap beaten out of him by Slade. How the hell was he supposed to fight them now?

"Go!" Robin yelled rounding to his friends. He'd just have to warn them and hope the left. "Go! Run! You don't know what those beams did to-"

"Dude." Beast Boy cut in.

"We know." Cyborg added, with out blinking.

"And we don't care." Raven finished.

"We are your friends Robin." Star walked closer to him with out a second thought. Did she really not care that all their lives were on the line. "We are not leaving with out you."

"How very touching." Slade hissed, flashing Robin a look at the button in his hand. "But Robin doesn't need any friends."

Robin stared. Did they just say what he thought they did? They were willing to sacrifice everything. FOR HIM! He wasn't worth their lives…He was nothing. He had allowed his enemy to take control. He had but his friends in danger. He had betrayed his father. He didn't deserve their love.

But- he had done it just to save them. Maybe he really was a hero. He was just doing his job. He had been protecting lives. He was saving people. Wasn't that his job? Wasn't that what he was supposed to do?

"Apprentice! Fight them." He heard Slade yell from behind them.

Robin struck a pose. Maybe his friends would change their minds and do what was best for them and run. But they didn't. They stood still. Just staring at Robin. They weren't going to budge. They were really going to go threw with it.

Robin straitened his back and faced his friends. They were really there, he wasn't just dreaming. All the time he spent with Slade he had dreamed, and thought about this moment. He never thought it would truly happen. He always thought that he would be the one who would save his friends. Not his friends saving him.

Because that was the way it always worked. Robin was the hero, the main leaders. His friends were… oh' no. He had been treating his friends like **his** sidekicks…

He had always hated being called the "Boy Wonder". And he hated being called the "Sidekick." People weren't afraid of him because he was tough and scary himself, people feared him because he was The Dark Knight's Squire. Mess with Robin and you messed with Batman. And Robin hated it.

Things changed when he joined the Titans though. He had become the leader for once in his life. The city knew he was the leader too. If something went wrong you talked to Robin first and maybe he would tell the team, the people didn't really care if he did or didn't. When something went wrong they people knew that Robin and the team would get them out of it, not just the team. Robin heard them talk, so did the other titans. But never really listened, he knew they were a team.

But even though he knew that they were a team, he also knew that he was more trained, more skilled and just better at fighting then them. And he liked the feeling. He liked being on top, being the one that got noticed. The feeling was a good one…

Maybe he got too into it. He started to think that everything was up to him and forgot about the team. Just like Batman would forget about him…

And he had let it happen. How could he? He promised that the titans would always be friends and always be equal. And he had forgotten that. He knew what it felt like and he let it happen to his friends anyway.

He had treated them like they were sidekicks. And he was ashamed.

"Robin. I said fight them." Robin turned to Slade who was not standing that far from him now. Then he looked back at his friends. They didn't move, just stood there looking at him. They were really going to fight for Robin… after he had treated them so bad.

But Robin remembered times that Batman was in danger. He never held anything against him for being the one ever one knew about. No. He was worried about Bruce. And he didn't want anything to happen to him. He didn't care if he got hurt, he wanted Bruce to be alright…

Was this what the titans were feeling right now?

"Robin, you don't have to." Cyborg started. It was great to hear someone other than Slade talk. "You don't have to serve him anymore. We can help you."

"Yeah. Come home with us, Rob." Finished Beast Boy.

Home?

"ROBIN!"

"Shut up Slade!" Robin yelled rounding to his 'master' "I'm not taking orders anymore."

Robin could feel his friend's smiles widen from behind him. But he wasn't paying attention to them right now. His eyes were focused on Slade, whose eyes were focused on him. They may not be not be blood related and they may not even like each other, but Robin had to admit, they sure could glare the same. Their eyes had the same cold fire burning deep within them.

"What?" Slade hissed. He heard Robin; he just wanted to give him time to change his mind. But Robin wasn't going to.

"It's over." Robin hissed. He waited for Slade to strike, but this time he would win no matter what; he had his team behind him. If he didn't see it coming they would. If he didn't make the hit, they would. He was safe. Nothing could beat him now. Nothing at-

"You'll wish you never said that." Slade hissed. He pulled out the button to the probes in the titan's body and held it out in victory.

Damn it. He had forgotten about that stupid thing.

Before Robin could react in any way, Slade closed his hand down on the red button.

"Aurg!" He heard all his friends cry out all at once. It was the cry of utter pain.

Robin forgot about Slade and rounded to his friends. They began to fall to the ground, one by one and all looking painfully.

Robin watched in horror unable to do anything, as Starfire's graceful body arched into a stiff arch and gently fell to the floor. Slowly the team followed her in their painful way to the ground.

Robin stood there unable to do anything but watch. He felt his insides turn numb, his brain dropped to his stomach with one painful plunge. He felt his lunges turn to ice and chip away slowly, he could feel the air leaving them quickly.

Fear wrapped its clammy cold hands around Robin's heart. It showed no mercy. Sharp fingernails dug into his heart. Why was this happening? Why did he have to feel this pain of worry ness?

"Do we continue until they die Robin? Or do you do as I say?" Slade hissed still in his dark corner.

Robin's fear was replaced with raw fury. How dare Slade treat his friends so bad? How dare Slade try to take advantage of death? Nothing gave him the right to do that. Nothing gave anyone in the world the right to torment teenagers… adults, anyone for that matter!

He had to do something; there was no way he was going to let Slade win. Not now, not ever. He wasn't going to lose.

That's it!

The gears inside Robin's head began to turn quickly as he looked around the lair to see if his plan would work.

Lose. Slade hated to lose just as much as he did. But if Robin was to lose… Slade would to. Robin was just the 'student' and if the 'student' fails then the 'teacher' was the one who got blamed for it. In other words, Robin was the solider, Slade was the King, if the army was to fail, and the plan would fail.

So now Robin had to find a way to lose and do it with out killing his friends at the same time. That might be hard… and deadly. But whatever he was going to do he had to do it fast, his friends were dying in front of his eyes, and he had to stop it.

Robin knew the lair well now, he knew where Slade kept his weapons, were he kept his computers, and where he kept that fucking machine that controlled the probes and-

Wait. That's it. The probes. He couldn't stop them, but Slade could… if he was forced to. It was all starting to come back to him. The way he used to make up plan on how to beat the bad guy at the top of his head. He was starting to remember how to win again.

Slade had only put the probes in the Titan's body so he could control Robin. He had given Robin new weapons to keep him save. To make it short Slade didn't want him hurt. He wanted him safe and well for as long as he could.

Well what if something happened to Robin? Slade would help him right? Well what if at the same time of helping Robin, he was also helping the titans? Would Slade still help him?

The whole time that Robin had been with Slade, Slade had been obsessed with calling Robin _his_ son, and that he would someday be Robin's _father_. No matter how hard Slade tried, no matter what Slade did, Robin would never think of him like a father. He had a father. And Slade could never compare to him. There was only one Batman.

Well Robin may not like Slade… but did Slade like Robin? Did he really think of Robin like a son? Or just an 'apprentice'. But then again… those two things sometimes go hand in hand.

People thought of Robin as Batman's apprentice, but Bruce called him his ward… Maybe it worked the same way with Slade.

Robin looked at the machine that controlled the probes; he stared at the strange orange glow that surrounded it. All it took was one touch to get infected with the things…

"_Lets see how much you really care…dad" _Thought Robin bitterly.

Without warning Robin charged at the machine and plunged at it. Slade wasn't even going to be able to react. Wrapping both hands around the glowing orange globe that stuck up from the machine.

Then it hit. That pain. First it sent scorching fire threw his brain and then down his back as it made it's way down to his feet. The sting sent itself threw his veins and to his heart. His brain turned cold and numb. His heart pounded madly within his chest, so hard that he thought it might explode.

He could no longer see everything was fading turning a strange color of gray and white. Nothing made since anymore.

Memories began to swirl in his mind. He could only hear voices that filled in the distance. As if he was listing to a CD of his life. Then another sound began to feel his head… the sound of his pounding heart….

**THUMP THUMP**

"_**Don't worry, I'll take care of you."**_

"_**Train me. Make me your partner."**_

"_**If you work for me, you have to give it all you got, then give it more. Got it?"**_

Thump THUMP 

"_**You wanna adopt me? Really?"**_

"_**The day was saved thanks to the Dark Knight and the Boy Wonder!"**_

"_**Whoa, you were great! What did you say your name was? Cyborg?"**_

"_**Your Beast Boy! From Doom Patrol!"**_

"_**And you're Robin The Boy Wonder! Dude!"**_

THUMP BA-THUMP 

"_**My earth name is Starfire new human friend."**_

"_**Their all great at fighting!"**_

"_**They… want me to- umm… be their leader."**_

"_**Do what ever you can to protect them… then you will be a be a man."**_

"_**From the inside out."**_

DA-THUMP- THUM-DA-THUMP 

"_**There's only one Batman, Cy."**_

" _**You see with a push of a button my probes will destroy your friends."**_

"_**From the inside out."**_

**THUMP-THUMP-DA-BA-THUMP**

_**"No way would I EVER work for-"**_

"_**I'll do what ever you say."**_

"_**Good Boy. And from now on I want you to call me master."**_

"_**Robin you are my best friend. I can not live in a world were me must fight."**_

"_**Blast her or watch he die!"**_

It was pounding faster now. Robin was curtain that it would bust open with pain, watching the machine with his blood. But he had to hold on. He had to be sure that the probes were in his body.

Thump-da-bu-ba-thump 

"_**Who knows I might become like a father to you."**_

"_**I already have a father."**_

"_**You can't beat me. Your nothing compared to me."**_

"_**Be strong Robin. Fight this!"**_

THUMP-THUMP-DA-THUMP-THUMPTHUMPTHUMP-THU-BAUMP 

"_**That's my boy. Good work apprentice."**_

"_**What do you want?"**_

"_**Leave him alone!"**_

"_**We are your friends Robin. We are not leaving with out you."**_

"_**How very touching… But Robin doesn't need any friends."**_

THUMP-DA-BA-THUM-UMPUB-THUMPTHUMP-THU-BADA-THUMP 

"_**I'll destroy them."**_

"_**From the inside out."**_

"_**You'll be a man"**_

"_**From the Inside out."**_

"_**Inside out."**_

"_**Inside"**_

"_**Out"**_

"_**From the Inside out."**_

_**"FROM THE INSIDE OUT"**_

"ARGGGGGGHHH!" Robin let out a cry of agony. In pain he let go of the globe.

He fell to the ground with a horrible thud. But it was nothing to the pounding in his chest and head.

His arms found they way to wrap around his chest and clutch as if that would stop the pain. It didn't.

Wait his Arms.

With all the might he could muster he looked at his arms. Yes. They were glowing the strange orange glow that matched his friends; he could see his blood flow as if his skin was an orange tinted glass.

He was infected with the probes.

Time to test Slade's so called love.

Painful Robin stood on shaky legs. He was certain that he was going to fall to the ground again, but he forced himself to stay up. His bones screamed in protest. But he had to fight it. He had to protect his friend. Even if that meant killing himself doing it.

Robin limbed as fast - which was really very slow- in front of Slade. Slade did not look happy. He stood with his back strait and his fist clenched.

"Go ahead Slade." Robin whimpered with pain. "If I lose my friends, you lose an apprentice."

That was it; his heart felt liked it just popped. Robin fell to the ground in front of Slade's feet. With the last bit of strength he had, he glanced up at Slade's face.

"And I know how much you hate to lose." Robin hissed. "Ahh…."

Robin let go of all his bones and just sunk to the floor. In his mind he hoped, he prayed that Slade would rather have robin alive then dead. Even not as a son, but as a servant. He begged that Slade still wanted to be in control of the boy's life and run his every move. Please let him be that stubborn.

A low growl was all that Robin could hear from Slade. Then he blanked out.

When he awoke… the pain was gone. It was if it was never there. Not even a head ach was filled in his head. He expected his body to ach everywhere, his heart to be weak and painful… but nothing.

Was he dead?

Opening his eyes slowly he saw that he wasn't in heaven, but still in his personal hell. Slade's Lair.

Slowly Robin stood up? Looking to his left he could see the damn button thingy… lying on the ground… destroyed. Slade had saved him after all. Good. That meant his friends were safe. And the probes could hurt them anymore.

Sure enough looking behind him Robin could see his friends getting up to their feet. Unharmed and save. Robin had one.

But the victory dance would have to wait. Slade was still out there. And he was going to be mad. Really mad.

Robin was right. After only a few moments standing up on shaky legs robin heard a cry of rage from behind him, turning he just barley avoided a monstrous blow from Slade.

Slade wasn't about to let some kid, who was supposed to be working for him, make a fool out of him. Not to mention he wasn't ready to watch his 'weapon' walk out the door… or maybe he wasn't ready to let his son go…

Slade did waist time throwing a neither punch at Robin. Robin ducked and avoided it easily. It was easy. Maybe it was his friend's presents that made him fight better.

In raged Slade kicked for Robin's chest. No good, Robin wasn't going to fail his friends again.

He caught the foot in midair. He smiled.

"Face it Slade." Robin hissed in a low, dangerous voice. "You can't beat me. Your nothing compared to me."

From what Slade's mask showed of his eyes, Robin could see them widen. It was a nice change to use Slade's own words against him.

Slade tried to wiggle his leg free of Robin's grasp. He tried kicking Robin in the rips but it failed. Robin let his grin widen. This was going to be fun.

Robin pulled at the leg and threw Slade against the wall. For how tall Slade was he was really light for a grown man. Good. It made it all the easier to kick his ass.

Slade shook it off pretty fast. Standing up he rounded at Robin again. But again robin was just too fast. He did a few graceful back handsprings and landed in front of his friends.

"TITAN'S! GO!"

* * *

All right, I was going to put more, but I don't want it to long. Anyway I need your opinion on something. I was going to start to write a fic about how Slade some how brought Terra back, he brain washed Robin, now he has the unstoppable team of apprentices. It was going to be titled, DIE-namic Duo. (you know, like dynamic duo… like batman and robin…) What do you think? And how should Slade do it? I thought maybe with his new powers… I HAVEN'T SEEN THE END PARTS YET, SO SOMEONE TELL ME WHAT HAPPENED PLEASE! 


	8. Bloodspill

Fight. Win or lose. No matter what the turnout is, people always feel the need to fight. The earth is slowly dieing from wars and violence. Children lose their innocence and turn cold hearted at a young age, because they want to be like what they see around them.

Why do we fight? Honor was no longer the reason. Many times it was for something stupid. Religion, disagreements, or an unwanted comment. It seemed that the littlest things could tick someone off and set off a blood feud.

Then there are secret wars. Wars that the super heroes-as we call them-fight. The villain would try to take over the world and the hero would come at the last second and save the earth…or that is what we imagine at least.

What would people say if they knew that their wars were so much more than that? That no war could go on with pain and misery. That often times there was no winner. We believe our heroes always to be victorious and strong. The truth…they don't have a choice.

If Robin didn't win this battle he would but his friends in danger again-maybe even death- surrender himself to a life or crime again and worst of all Slade would win.

Robin never took defeat well. He usually went crazy or even scary and hibernated in his room as his friends put it.

Which was why he never let it happen. Not again.

"TITANS! GO!" He yelled to his friends. It felt good to say those words again.

It felt even better to see his friends following them.

Starfire flew over Robin's head; he felt a gust of wind from her body sweep over him and caused his hair to sway in the direction of her flight. She flew close to Cyborg and together they charged at Slade.

Cyborg lifted his now gun like arm at Slade, Starfire had star-bolt ready at hand, and they attacked together.

The first hit that Slade received was from Starfire's star-bolts. The green orb crashed against the side of his face and sent him spinning to the side. Before he could recover a blue blast hit him in the chest and he fell crashing to the ground.

Robin smiled. Slade was finally losing. He could easily see the villain's frustration from his body language. His arms and back were tense and his hands shook. It made Robin happy that he was getting sweet revenge.

Raven levitated from Robin's side and flew high in the air, her eyes glowing white and black orbs surrounding her hands. It was her turn to punish Slade.

"Azarth, Methrone, Zinrose!" She cried.

A black sphere engulfed Slade's feet. Taken by surprise Slade was lifted into the air upside-down. Raven held him in place for a moment then swung his body hard against the metal wall.

Slade feel to the ground, his chest was shaking. Robin could almost hear his horrid heart beat in his chest. It pounded hard and fast, Slade was tired…

And Robin was happy.

The titans stood in place as they waited for Slade to stand, not sure if he was knocked out of just giving up. But they all knew that he would not give up that easily.

Slade brought a gloved hand to his head and tried to hold his broken mask in place to keep it from falling off his face. Shaking like a leave Slade slowly stood and rounded to the titans.

A green tiger flew across the room at him and extended its long claw out. Before Robin had the chance to understand what it was that Beast Boy was doing the green tiger attached Slade, swiping it's loge claws across his chest and tearing open thick armor letting splashes of warm blood seep out and stain the green fur and black clothing.

Slade doubled over with pain and clutched his chest with his free hand. The tiger fell to the floor and rounded back to Slade, hissing and roaring at the psychopath, but it did not attack.

"My turn." Whispered Robin.

Feeling his determination and the fire with in him burning hot he took his chance to get back at Slade. He ran as fast as he could then he jumped high in the air still sailing across towards Slade, leg out.

There was a moment he had to think when he flew through the air. He felt like he was flying. He was a Robin… and robin hunting. He was the Robin and Slade was the worm, and Robin was ready to pry him from the dirt and chop him in half with his beak and rip him to shreds with his talons.

Closer. He could see Slade's eyes widening. Robin let out a cry from his throat as if the sound waves would crash on Slade and knock him over; like a bat hunting moths.

… **He was a robin hunting like a bat.**

POW

His foot collided with the side of Slade's face. The steal on Robin's book scratched against the metal on Slade's mask and sent sparks in the air. The came a loud cracking noise and Slade cried out when he his mask snapped in half and sharp edges cut into his cheek.

Slade fell to the floor and robin slid across the metal floor a few feet away. He stopped himself by bending at the knees and resting one arm in the air and one to the ground and turning his body back towards Slade.

Robin gasped to himself when he saw the orange side of Slade's mask lying on the floor a few feet behind him. Slade was on the floor on his hands and knees panting hard and holding the now open side of his face from view, the titans stood watching.

Slade's arms shook and his breathing was hard, Robin could hear sharp gasp and slight groans of pain from where he was. Robin could see a small river of deep red blood travel from Slade's mouth down his arm staining his armor. A small red bubble formed at the corner of Slade's mouth then popped within an instant splashing his check with blood.

Robin felt his insides burn with a fierce fire. They had won. Slade was finished, helpless, done. He was bleeding because of Robin… just as he had made Robin bleed. Slade's blood was visible and flowed from the inside and out of his body, Robin's blood was thick and heavy but was invisible to any but himself, and it didn't flow out of his body, but to his heart and through his veins.

**Payment: blood for blood.**

Slade slowly stood up and swayed to the side slightly; he looked unbalanced. He hobbled to the control center of his lair glaring at Robin still covering the side of his face so Robin couldn't get a clear view of hid face. The blood river still flowed down his arm and turned black as he walked into the darkness. Robin felt a sickening feeling wash over him as he saw Slade's free hand grasp a lever that he did not recognized.

"This isn't over, Robin." Slade hissed. "Not now… not ever."

And he pulled the switch…and he was gone.

Robin tried to run after him but found himself blinded by a swift flash of darkness… then flinched as the room turned blood red and then before he could blink it off it was pitch black again. The cycle repeated and repeated soon adding a loud beeping noise.

"Robin!" he could hear someone yelling his name over the sound but found it impossible to tell where it was coming from.

_**Red. Black. Loud. Quiet. Blinding. Deafening.**_

Robin felt something hard his him in the shoulder and when the room flashed red he saw that it was a tile from the roof. He looked up. The roof was quivering and bits of it were falling off. The walls shook and the floor rattled. The camera hissed and the television screens came crashing to the floor and shattered into millions of pieces.

The lair was falling apart, dieing, killing itself. Slade had somehow set off a self-elimination to his lair… just as he had done with Robin…

_**Red. Black. Loud. Quiet. Blinding. Deafening.**_

Robin ran. He didn't know where he was going or if it would help at all but it was instinct. He could hear and fell heavy objects falling behind him, if he had stayed in one place for too long he was sure that he would be crushed. He foot caught something and he fell crashing to the floor. The room turned black. The found shook beneath him and he heard what sounded like something rolling towards him.

_**Red. Black. Loud. Quiet. Blinding. Deafening.**_

The room turned red and Robin quickly looked up. One of Slade's giant clock-like wheels was rolling strait at him… he could die if it hit. He could just imagine his blood spilling among the ground with the red lights then lying forgotten when the room turned black. He could see Slade's smirk of satisfaction, Starfire's teary eyes, Bruce disappearing into the darkness with the heavy thought of his _son's_ horrible death…

But most of all he just saw Slade. Laughing, a mad sparkle in his one eyes, laughing with the cold voice he had, laughing with his blood seeping through his teeth, and laughing as he crashed Robin's remains with the bottom of his shoe.

Robin couldn't let that happen. Not now… not ever… he swore this to himself silently.

_**Red. Black. Loud. Quiet. Blinding. Deafening.**_

Robin jumped to his feet quickly and tried to run from the wheel. Faster his feet flew, and faster the wheel turned… like Slade chasing after him…

The room turned black and Robin prayed that he was running towards safety.

BOOM.

He heard something fall to the ground at his side… he ignored it and continued to run. The room lit up again and Robin saw a wall heading his way. The turn turned black…this was it…he was done for.

_**Red. Black. Loud. Quiet. Blinding. Deafening.**_

He felt strong and warm hands grip his shoulder.

The room flashed Red. He recognized the hand to belong to Starfire. He felt her body turn upward and his feet float from the ground.

The room was dark again. It felt strange, he could feel nothing beneath him and the open air gripped him and gave him a sick feeling that he was not in control of where he was going… his feet swung by instinct.

_**Red. Black. Loud. Quiet. Blinding. Deafening.**_

There was a crash below them and when the room turned red he could see that the wheel collided into the wall and fell to the ground.

Starfire flew high and swerved her body to avoid the falling object from hitting them. He saw he heading for the exit… a greenish red cheetah ran under them followed by Cyborg and Raven floated past them. Together the team ran through the passage way as it caved in behind them, just barley staying ahead of it…a light was forming ahead of them…

The light at the end of the tunnel.

Starfire flew up ward and out of the tunnel just before it complete collapsed. The cold and fresh air swallowed Robin whole and washed over him. He felt the wind pull at his hair and the sensation of being in the air again was no longer sickening but freeing. He felt alive, he felt whole again.

"Do not worry," Starfire yelled against the wind, "I have you. You will not fall."

_Thank you… thank you so much._ He thought to himself. They had saved him. All this time he had been trying to save them and keep them out of danger and he had put himself in more danger and more pain then he was causing his friends… and all he needed to free himself was their help.

He felt ashamed now. He had forgotten the most important rule of being a team; no one gets left behind, no 'I' in team and everyone stayed together. He had but himself above that rule and gone out on his own.

He remembered how much it angered him when people thought that he could fight for himself and that he didn't need saving… but he had grown to believe it himself. He thought that because he had more training then the rest of his team that he was better than them… perhaps in fighting that was true, but not all battled could be won with a physical fight.

His friends had proven to be stronger than he was tonight. They didn't run when they learned the truth that their lives were in danger and they didn't leave Robin to stay with Slade to protect themselves-not that Robin expected them to- but they had faced Slade head on and even though Slade fought Slade and was the reason that the probes were no longer a problem they had saved Robin from himself and from Slade.

Together he and his wonderful team escaped into the clear and filling night…

-----

"Well, that's is." Said Cyborg. "No more probes."

The team was gathered in titan's tower living room. Beast Boy sat with various wires and medical machinery attached to his body.

Robin was there, with his team and in his robin uniform. Not Robin, Slade's apprentice, but Robin leader of Teen Titans, and apprentice to Batman… not Slade the villain but Batman the hero.

His Slade costume lay on his bed back in his room, he was still unsure of what to do with it. Truthfully he wanted to burn it along with his memories of the times he had to wear it. But he knew that he couldn't get rid of it that easily… and the costume had done nothing wrong, it was Slade not the suit that made him do all those horrible things and betray his friends. And the material and armor may come in handy one day, who knew? But for now it was just an artifact of clothing, nothing more and nothing less.

"Go Beast Boy." Beast Boy jumped up and performed his own made up dance on the spot. "Your probe free, no more probes."

Robin laughed and placed his hands on his hips as he watched Beast Boy moved his arms around and shack his body in joy. It felt good to see his friend go crazy again. Beast Boy seemed to be the only one acting it though.

Starfire sat on the couch holding herself around the chest and Raven and Cyborg just watched Beast Boy.

"I know this might sound weird from me, but," Raven looked at Robin, "we just defeated Slade. Shouldn't we be celebrating or something?"

Robin couldn't believe his ears. Rave wanted to celebrate! Had he been gone that long?

She swayed slightly as the boys in the team gapped at her. "What?"

Cyborg and Beast Boy let out shirks of delight and grabbed Raven by the arms and marched her to the kitchen. She rolled her eyes as the yelled out different verities of food they should make and how they were going to make it.

"Forget I asked." Sighed Raven before the two boys pulled her away.

Robin smiled as he watched them go. It gave him a warm feeling at seeing his friends acting happy again and it made him happy knowing that he was apart of it again. He didn't have to replay memories in his head any longer just to see them all having a good time, he simply had to walk into the room and let the good times role.

He looked down at Starfire excepting her to join the group in the kitchen and felt his stomach clench. She had a sad face and was still sitting holding her chest.

"Everything okay?" he asked as he sat down besides her. She refused to look at him.

"I am… sorry." She said softly.

"Your sorry!" Robin gasped then he half laughed; "For what?"

"When things were bad there was a moment where I truly believed that you were like Slade… I doubted you. And for that I am sorry."

Robin sighed. She had a right to know, they never kept secrets from one another, she would understand if he told her the truth.

"I doubted myself, Star." She tensed slightly, "Focused, serious, determined. As much as I hate to admit it… he and I are kinda alike. But there's one big difference between me and Slade." Starfire looked up at him. "He doesn't have any friends.

She stayed quiet for a moment and seemed to be absorbing his words. A warm and gentle smile formed on her lips. She stood and he understood… and together they walked to the kitchen to join their friends.

"Lets make bacon!"

"Dude, I'm a vegetarian, no meat!"

"There's no meat in bacon!"

Robin laughed as he listened to Beast Boy and Cyborg fight like always. Its good to be home.

-----

Robin pickled up the phone and dialed speed dial number two. He put the phone to his ear and waited nervously for someone to pick up.

"Hello, Wayne residence." And English voice come through the other end.

"Alfred?"

"Master Robin!"

"Hey Alfie, I think I need to talk to Bruce."

"I dare say you do young sir."

Robin felt his stomach drop, Alfred knew. "Alfred you have to believed me, I didn't do it on purpose…I have an explanation."

Silence.

"Alfie, you believe me don't you?"

"If you say it… then I believe it to be true."

"Thanks."

"Of course master Robin. Shall I go fetch Master Bruce for you?"

"Please." Robin waited in silence. A tight knot formed in his stomach. Would Bruce be as easy as Alfred… he already knew that answer to that, and it was a no. But he somehow forced himself t make sure that this conversation went his way.

"Robin." Bruce's voice was stern and made Robin slightly tremble.

"All right, I know you must hate me for stealing things from Wayne Enterprise, but I have a reason for everything that I did."

"Oh' really." Bruce made more of a statement then a question.

Robin couldn't help it he smiled. "Yeah, and Bruce, it's one hell of a story."

* * *

IT'S DONE! My first ever really successful story is done!

Whoa! It feels so weird. I hope you guys liked it.

Just in case this confused I tried to compare the falling in lair to Robin and how he felt and the wheel that was chasing after him. The lair destroying its self was supposed to be Robin and how he tore himself up and the wheel was supposed to be Slade chasing after him. Yeah… think about it, it will make since…hopefully.

Ok, now time for my reason that I haven't been posting.

Like an idiot I started like five other stories that I've been working on.

School is crazy

I've been trying to write my own story, Call 'The Fallen Kingdom, Nightfire" It's about this boy named Ataren who lives in a different world…yeah…I won't get into it… but I've really been trying to work on it a lot and yeah… I wanted to get a few chapters on it done before I worked on anything else.

Well hope you guys liked this story. I love you guys, and thanks for all the reviews!

**O, and yes, batman forgives Robin… of course… **and I left robin's real name out purposely so I didn't get yelled at for people thinking that it was another robin… personally I think its Dick but I no a lot of ppl think that it is Tim and some may even think that its Jason. So you decide.


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